as a newcomer to port (and to this forum) I would like to say hello to everybody.

My name is Andre, I'm 36 years old and live in Cologne, Germany.

I tasted my first Port wine three or four years ago. I was always interested in wine (and I'm still interest in wine besides port), so I just put a bottle of Delaforce Ruby in my basket while shopping in my local supermarket (there is not really a port culture in Germany as there is in the UK) . Since then, I'm constantly "drinking my way up", Reserve, LBV, Crusted and now SQVPs. In November I will attend Axel's Cockburn tasting in Leverkusen (that will be my first vertical tasting in Port). In general, I'm more of a "Ruby" person, although I like a good Tawny too.
I went to Porto in Feb. 2012 to visit the lodges and attend the Essencia do Vinho. In August this year I returned to Porto for a week (great new Graham's Lodge by the way) and then went to Pinhao for another week. I stayed a Quinta de la Rosa, visited Quinta do Panascal, Quinta do Seixo, Quinta do Noval and Quinta do Napoles (Niepoort). Right now I'm learning Portuguese as I found out that English is not so well understood in Portugal.
Next year I will go back to Porto to attend the Essencia do Vinho (28.2. to 2.3.2014).
That's why I registered here to find some people who will be at the Essencia, too.

Welcome to the Port Forum, it's good to have you join us. I've often looked at the reports from people who visit the Essencia do Vinho and wished I could be there. The time of year doesn't work out for me too well - but I really enjoy "almost" being there by reading reports from people who are luckier than me.

I don't think they shipped Port to Germany to be bottled there before 1970. There is not really a port culture in Germany as there is in the UK. Not even in 2013 (altough Axel really tries to change that. You could really call him the ambassador for Port to Germany (that's what people at Churchill's called him when I visited the lodge in August 2013)). Pre-1970 when people in Germany had wanted a sweet desert wine, they would have opened a sweet Auslese or TBA Riesling (as is still very common today). In my opinion such a wine is "sugared-water", as there is much sweetness but hardly any alcohol (I would get stoned to death for such blasphemy by my fellow-wine friends here in Germany, so please don't tell anyone). That's why I like port, it's rich, but also "strong" and fruity, too.

If you did rinse your decanter just with port, would you be so kind and post your experience in the proper thread? I think some port friends here don't believe that port can be a detergent as good as hot water.